John d



J. D. VANCE.

FIRE PLACE DAMPER.

(No Model.)

No. 389,424. Patented Sept. 11, 1888.

FIG.2

NITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

JOHN D. VANCE, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE EUREKA. FOUNDRYCOMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

FIRE-PLACE DAMPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 389,424, datedSeptember 11, 1888.

(No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN D. VANCE, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State ofOhio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-PlaceDampers, of which the following is a specification, reference being hadtherein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention comprises a specific construe tion of damper capable ofbeing readily fitted within the throat of a fire-place, and having meansof adjustment whereby the draft can be regulated or the passage of thedue completely closed, as occasion requires. The supporting member ofthe device consists of an open casting or throat-frame fitted within theupper part of the fire-place, in order that the damper, when shut, mayrest closely upon said frame. This damper is hinged to the upper frontedge of the frame, and said frame has a lever and gravitating pawlpivoted to one end thereof, the inner extremity of said lever being incontact with the under side of said damper. The outer extremity of thislever is provided with notches or teeth, wherewith is engaged the loweror free end of the aforesaid gravitating pawl, by which arrangement thedamper can be maintained at any desired angle, so as to control thedraft, as hereinafter more fully described.

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is a plan of the under side of thethroat-frame with my damper attachments applied thereto. Fig. 2 is avertical section showing this frame fitted within a fire-place, thedamper being seen in its normal or closed position. Fig.3 is a similarsection, but showing the damper open.

A represents a throatframe of the proper size to be readily fittedwithin an ordinary fire-place, the front a and rear portion, a, of saidframe being generally inclined, as shown, while its opposite ends areabout vertical. Hinged to the front upper edge of this frame, as at I)Z", is the damper proper, which consists of a plate, B, adapted to closeupon said frame, as seen in Fig. 2.

Fnlcrumed to either end of the frame, as at C, is a lever, D of thefirst class, the inner or rear extremity of said lever being in contactwith the under side of damper B. The front or outer extremity of thislever is notched at d, to permit the ready engagement of the lower orfree end of a gravitating pawl, E, which pawl is pivoted to the frame atc. e is a short laterally-projecting lug at the free end of this pawl,for a purpose that will presently appear. F is an ordinary fireplace,and G is the flue of the same.

The method of applying my damper is as follows: The throat-frame A, withthe lever D and pawl E pivoted thereto, but without the plate B, isfirst secured in the upper part of the fire-place, the absence of saidplate af fording the mason ample room for filling in mortar, so as toclose up all crevices between the chimney-wall and the upper edges ofsaid frame. Reference to Fig. 1 shows that the damper is about fivetimes as long as it is wide, and therefore as soon as the throatframe issecured in place said damper is passed up endwise through said frame.The damper is then turned around and its hinges b b are engaged with theappropriate slots in the front upper edge of frame A, in order that thedamper B may be practicallylevel when shut down upon said frame, as seenin Fig. 2, in which position said damper closes the fine and preventsdust and soot being blown out into the room. Furthermore, in this closedposition of the damper the free end of pawl E rests upon the frontportion of lever D, thereby elevating the rear extremity of the latterand causing it to come in contact with the under side of damper B, whichdamper can be opened at any time by simply pressing down upon the lug e.As this lug is directly under the chimney-breast, it can be readilyreached with a poker or other suitable implement, and by forcing thepawl back until its free end engages with the inner tooth of rack d thelever D will be swung up until the damper B assumes the position seen inFig. 3, thereby affording an unobstructed draft up the flue C; but if afull draft is not required the pawl E is engaged with the outer tooth ofrack d, which act retains the damper in the position indicated by thedotted lines in said illustration, thereby restricting the flue area.

It will be noticed that the arrangement of the parts is such as toprevent the damper reaching a perpendicular position when completelyopen, and therefore said damper bears against the lever and causes thelatter to engage positively with the pawl. Consequently there is nodanger of the damper accidentally dropping and closing the flue-passage;but this closure can be intentionally effected at any time bydisengaging the pawl from the lever rack and allowing said damper toassume the position seen in Fig. 2. Finally, as the devices D E, thatoperate the damper, do not project beyond the wall of the fire-place, itis evident said devices cannot be struck by any person passing in frontof the fire; neither are they liable to be tampered with by children.

I am aware that adjustable dampers and draft-regulators are not new, andtherefore my claim is not to be construed broadly, but

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in 7 presence of twowitnesses.

JOHN D. VANCE. \lVitnesses:

JAMES H. LAYMAN, RANKIN D. J ONES.

